Jerry Sloan should be ashamed

[dalekjazz]

Yesterday during the Lakers, Rockets game Collins and Kenny Smith were praising the Rockets' defense while at the same time ridiculing the Jazz, calling them soft. As a player Jerry Sloan was known as a badass, hard-nosed player. As a coach he is known as defensive-minded. Yet the Jazz consistently have poor defensive rotations, cannot guard the pick and roll, and Sloan has not changed the way the Jazz play defense since the 1980's even with the new rules, giving up numerous fouls, 3-pointers, and with their soft fouls, 3-point plays. In the early part of the decade Jeff Van Gundy took a Knicks team with mediocre individual defenders and converted them into a top defensive team because of his defensive schemes and rotations. Sloan is unwilling and/or unable to do this. Sure the Rocket have Artest and Battier, who are top notch defensive players. But the Jazz also have Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer who have the physical skills to be top defensive players. It is the coach's job to develop a scheme to maximize a player's potential, something Sloan has failed in. For the past three years since Ostertag retired Sloan and the Jazz management have been unable to bring in shot-blocking center, which the Jazz obviously need. This is the same team that once took an auto-mechanic and developed him into one of the best initmidating defenders of all time. Now the Jazz bring in players with no heart. Even though the Jazz hate the Rockets, lunch-pail players like Yao and Battier are the type of guys who used to be sought by the Jazz. Instead the Jazz now have guys like Boozer who misses half the season with a hamstring pull. The Jazz have become the joke of the NBA. I never thought I would see the day when a Sloan-coached team would be called soft. Shame on Jerry Sloan and the Jazz management.

[seejaydeja]

sad but awfully true. time to change your sig :\

[Lava Rock Kid]

Yesterday during the Lakers, Rockets game Collins and Kenny Smith were praising the Rockets' defense while at the same time ridiculing the Jazz, calling them soft. As a player Jerry Sloan was known as a badass, hard-nosed player. As a coach he is known as defensive-minded. Yet the Jazz consistently have poor defensive rotations, cannot guard the pick and roll, and Sloan has not changed the way the Jazz play defense since the 1980's even with the new rules, giving up numerous fouls, 3-pointers, and with their soft fouls, 3-point plays.

Do you really think that Sloan is asking for soft fouls? Remember last year when the Lakers made trip after trip to the foul line. At least that got better this year. What would you suggest he do different?

quote="dalekjazz In the early part of the decade Jeff Van Gundy took a Knicks team with mediocre individual defenders and converted them into a top defensive team because of his defensive schemes and rotations. Sloan is unwilling and/or unable to do this. Sure the Rocket have Artest and Battier, who are top notch defensive players. But the Jazz also have Andrei Kirilenko and Ronnie Brewer who have the physical skills to be top defensive players.

Kirilenko and Brewer should not even be in the same sentence with artest and battier when it comes to defense.

quote="dalekjazzIt is the coach's job to develop a scheme to maximize a player's potential, something Sloan has failed in. For the past three years since Ostertag retired Sloan and the Jazz management have been unable to bring in shot-blocking center, which the Jazz obviously need. This is the same team that once took an auto-mechanic and developed him into one of the best initmidating defenders of all time.

The jazz went with an offensive center this time over a defensive center. It is really hard to have both. I am sure they would love to get one, but how many other teams want the same?

quote="dalekjazzNow the Jazz bring in players with no heart. Even though the Jazz hate the Rockets, lunch-pail players like Yao and Battier are the type of guys who used to be sought by the Jazz. Instead the Jazz now have guys like Boozer who misses half the season with a hamstring pull.

How many games did Yao and Battier miss this year?

quote="dalekjazzThe Jazz have become the joke of the NBA. I never thought I would see the day when a Sloan-coached team would be called soft. Shame on Jerry Sloan and the Jazz management.

I dont blame sloan for the soft play of his team, he is playing with the hand he is dealt with. The best defensive players he has on the team is harpring, and collins. Whose minutes decreases to give those guys minutes.

Stockton and malone, were good defenders, boozer and Deron are not. Problem is that kirilenko and okur are worse.

[HammerDunk]

I also don't completely blame Sloan. You can only lead a horse to water... BUT, I think he simply gets frustrated and lives with what these guys do on defense, just gives up in a way. I think he is too tired and old to get a team like this to actually play defense.

[kamazilla]

While you can't completely lay the blame for the teams soft play on Sloan, he is solely responsible for the archaic system he imposes with no regard to its current efficacy. Yes, the Jazz were once an inspired defensive team; back when player length was not at such a premium in the NBA, back when the rules allowed more contact, hand checking and disallowed zone defense, and back when the Jazz actually had hard nosed players. None of those conditions currently apply and Sloan still tries to implement his tired schemes then blames his players when the Jazz consistently get burned by all stars and also-rans alike.

Though his legacy stands as a testament to the force of will and determination, the game has truly left Sloan behind. Shame is a useless emotion and Sloan certainly does care about the outcome and tries as hard as he can. He shouldn't be ashamed; he should just retire.

[carrottop12]

I blame Jerry Sloan for Boozer and Okur's lack of effort on the defensive end. Shame on Jerry.

Young teams don't play defense, it's that simple. Never have, never will.

[HolyToledo]

I am a Sloan hater BUT it is not his fault he has lazy assess on his team. KOC needs to value defenders this off season like getting rid of Boozer. Houston proving Hustle just as important as ability to go one on one.

Problem with Sloan is he doesnt adjust his system for his talent. Jazz are full of finishers on the break, thus Jazz needed to play Di'-Antoni ball and run on every possible possession. Brewer, Ak'-47, Boozer, and Dwill become much better. Basically try to our run and out score teams to make up for your defensive deficiencies.

[ColdBlue]

According to Sloan, he doesn't think it's the coach's responsibility to get his team motivated and ready to play, which seems to be the very problem with this team.

The blame is mutual, but the responsibility is ultimately the coach.

I think it's time for a change. Sloan was a pretty good drill seargeant that beat down his players to strive for unwavering consistency. It's a critical aspect in coaching to have this trait, but unwavering consistency alone isn't enough. Ingenuity and personal understanding are needed as well, and frankly... drill seargeants don't have that much to offer in that regard.

If anything Sloan's comments about who is responsible for motivation reveal a black hole in Sloan's philosophy which probably manifested itself by riding the coattails of two Hall of Famers all the way to the Hall itself.

The hole ridden rednecked relic needs to go back to the sticks in Illinois and dream of John Deere, lemonade, and the good ol' days when worldviews were dictated.

(Steps off the soapbox)

[jazzfan1971]

Did they also mock the Spurs for their defense against Dallas?

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Blame the players not the coach.

Nuff said.

[babyjax13]

Or hire Jeff Van Gundy and see if you're right.

[jazzed77]

I dont blame sloan for the soft play of his team, he is playing with the hand he is dealt with. The best defensive players he has on the team is harpring, and collins. Whose minutes decreases to give those guys minutes.

Stockton and malone, were good defenders, boozer and Deron are not. Problem is that kirilenko and okur are worse.

You really don't actually believe the best defensive players on the Jazz are Harp & Collins do you? Koufos, Knight, and even Fes have always struck me as high energy level guys who for whatever reason do not get any burn....I blame SLoan for not at least givinh them a chance with the season on the line and whatever the strategy we were using against the lakers obviously not working.....

[jazzfanak47]

This teams biggest defensive issue is they system for sure. The league isnt based around the rim anymore on the offensive end (at least with the other 29 teams) so why is our defense still based on the paint? the 3point shot KILLS the jazz over and over and the coaching staff lets it happen by packing the defense in and you just cant do that in this league anymore especially with the draw and kick as well as the fact that nearly everyone on the floor at any given time can hit a 3.

[dalekjazz]

They pack the paint with poor interior defenders like Boozer and Okur. There is no Eaton out there to erase any mistakes. The perimeter defense continues to be poor. Right now the Jazz can't stop anybody inside or outside.

[outerspacefella]

..... Jazz are full of finishers on the break, thus Jazz needed to play Di'-Antoni ball and run on every possible possession. Brewer, Ak'-47, Boozer, and Dwill become much better. Basically try to our run and out score teams to make up for your defensive deficiencies.

And with which point guard would we run and gun? With one of the worst fastbreakers in the league? Williams inability to run the fast break is one of his worst flaws.

And where is the load of "finishers"? The ones that miss layup after layup? And jumpshot after jumpshot? Or the ones that are unable to create a shot for themselves?

[outerspacefella]

....I blame SLoan for not at least givinh them (Koufos, Fesenko) a chance with the season on the line and whatever the strategy we were using against the lakers obviously not working.....

That I can concede. With nothing falling the Jazz way, may be Sloan could have taken a chance with our big youngsters. Yet I really don't think we would have been more than slightly better.

[dalekjazz]

Wow. The Rockets without T-Mac, Yao, and Mutombo, come out and smack the Lakers around. The Jazz come out with excuses whenever somebody is out.

[kamazilla]

Interesting quote from Battier after that game-

"Coach (Rick Adelman) told me, 'If you're open for 3, shoot it. Shoot 20 3s if you're open. It's a good shot for us.' "

Wow, can anyone imagine Sloan saying the same thing? Battier went 5/10 in that game, heading Adelman's coaching and contributing hugely to Houston's win. No way does he have that kind of performance under Jerry. Just another example of Sloan being unable to recognize effective strategy due to dogmatic adherence to his stagnant system, and a contributing reason the Rockets are still playing and the Jazz are done.

[carrottop12]

You guys are reading way too much into this Rockets Lakers series.

The Rockets are just a tough match up for the Lakers.

Battier defends Kobe well, Artest is a good defender against Odom, and Scola matches up pretty well with Gasol.

If the Rockets were playing the Jazz right now my guess is it would be a 3-1 series in favor the of the Jazz regardless of home court. It's all because of match ups.

[Fido]

Of course Adelman told him to shoot. With McGrady and Yao on the bench 80% of their offense is missing. They need production from anywhere and everywhere--although chucking up a shot any time you want isn't always a great offensive strategy.